Albert A. Bell Jr. Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Albert A. Bell Jr.

If you are new to Albert A. Bell Jr.'s work, the best starting point is his signature historical mystery series, The Notebooks of Pliny the Younger. Beginning with the first book, All Roads Lead to Murder (2002), is highly recommended. This introduces the sharp-witted Pliny and his historian friend Tacitus as they navigate the dangerous political waters and criminal underbelly of the late first-century Roman Empire. While each mystery resolves itself, the characters' personal lives, political statuses, and relationships evolve chronologically, making a sequential reading experience much more rewarding.

For readers who prefer contemporary cozy mysteries over historical fiction, a great entry point is Death by Armoire (2017), which kicks off the modern, lighthearted Palmetto Antiques Mystery series set in South Carolina.

The Notebooks of Pliny the Younger: Publication & Chronological Order

As a former history professor, Albert A. Bell Jr. takes historical accuracy seriously. The Pliny the Younger series is set during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian in the late first century AD. The books follow a linear chronological timeline that matches their publication order. The shadow of the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, which claimed the life of Pliny's adoptive father Pliny the Elder, hangs over the narrative, and the characters visit the ruins of Pompeii in Death in the Ashes.

1. All Roads Lead to Murder (2002) - Pliny and Tacitus travel to Smyrna in Asia Minor to investigate a brutal murder.
2. The Blood of Caesar (2008) - Named one of Library Journal's Best Mysteries of 2008, Pliny investigates a murder linked to Domitian's imperial palace.
3. The Corpus Conundrum (2011) - Pliny faces a high-stakes case involving dead bodies and Roman legal intrigue.
4. Death in the Ashes (2013) - The duo returns to the Bay of Naples and the ash-buried ruins of Pompeii to investigate a mystery.
5. The Eyes of Aurora (2014) - A case draws the malevolent attention of the suspicious Emperor Domitian.
6. Fortune's Fool (2017) - Pliny navigates political hazards and personal betrayals in Rome.
7. The Gods Help Those (2018) - Historical crimes and religious shifts come to the forefront.
8. Hiding from the Past (2020) - Pliny is forced to confront old secrets while solving a new conspiracy.

Palmetto Antiques Mystery Series

Moving away from the ancient world, this contemporary cozy mystery series features Maureen Cooper, a ghostwriter who finds herself surrounded by antique furniture and deadly secrets in South Carolina.

1. Death by Armoire (2017)
2. Veneer over Murder (2020)

Steve and Kendra YA Mysteries

Designed for middle-grade and young adult readers, this series features two eleven-year-old friends, Steve Patterson (a baseball enthusiast) and Kendra Jordan (an aspiring detective), who investigate local historical secrets. The first book won the Evelyn Thurman Young Readers Book Award.

1. The Secret of the Lonely Grave (2007) - The duo uncovers a Civil War and Underground Railroad mystery in a forgotten cemetery.
2. Secret of the Bradford House (2010) - Steve and Kendra dig into strange happenings at a historic property undergoing renovations.

Walker Farm Mystery Series

This series focuses on middle-grade readers, featuring Sandy Walker and T. J. McKenzie, two pen pals who meet on a farm in Indiana.

• What You Wish For (2018)

Standalone Novels & Key Alternate Titles

Bell has also penned several standalone contemporary and historical mysteries. A key detail for collectors and readers is the relationship between Daughter of Lazarus and The Flute Player, which are different versions of the same story.

• Daughter of Lazarus (1988) - A historical novel set in ancient Rome. This was later heavily revised, updated, and republished as The Flute Player (2018), which follows Lorcis, a talented slave and flute player striving for freedom in the shadow of the Colosseum and the early Christian underground.
• Kill Her Again (2000) - A contemporary thriller.
• The Case of the Lonely Grave (2000) - Note: Despite the matching theme, this is a standalone adult contemporary mystery, entirely separate from the 2007 YA book The Secret of the Lonely Grave.
• Death Goes Dutch (2005) - Set in Holland, Michigan, drawing on the author's long career teaching at Hope College in the same city.
• Murder My Love (2017) - A contemporary romance mystery.

Non-Fiction Works

In addition to fiction, Bell's scholarly background shines through in his non-fiction books, which provide excellent historical context for his Roman mysteries:

• A Guide to the New Testament World (1994) / republished as Exploring the New Testament World (1998)
• Perfect Game, Imperfect Lives (2006) - A departure from theological history, focusing instead on his passion for baseball.